It Happened Here
While New York’s Lower Manhattan is best known as a global financial center, it has been America’s town square since the founding of the city as New Amsterdam in 1624. Virtually every aspect of global, local, national, and local significance can be traced to this downtown stage in some manner. Some aspects have been long forgotten, some have been transformative to our culture, and many have fallen in between. It Happened Here captures the multiple and overlapping stories that have been woven throughout the 400-year life of New York. It embraces America’s history along with the museums, monuments, and memorials that dot its streetscape. It highlights the concerns, events, passions, and places that the people who lived, fought, worked, and visited here found important at their moment in time.
It Happened Here seeks to excavate its many historical layers: from its inception as the precolonial Lenapehoking territory (once inhabited by the Munsee Lenape and Wappinger tribes), to the creation of New Amsterdam by the Dutch, to the establishment of the first free African settlement in North America, to the establishment of British control, to the gateway for immigration, to being the site of the American Revolution, to its present-day significance as the nation’s cultural and financial nerve-center.
What better way to commemorate New York City’s 400th anniversary and America’s 250th than to combine them into one special celebration: It Happened Here.
It Happened Here officially began on July 3, 2025, with a naturalization of 10 New Americans at America’s First Capitol: Federal Hall National Memorial. It was followed by a special July 4th weekend with 400 years into 5 days with each day being devoted to a century of the city’s life and history. There will be many more programs and events over the next year, including tours and additional content on cultureNOW’s digital “museum without walls” app.
Lower Manhattan: Preparing for the Future
Lower Manhattan: Preparing for the Future
Afternoon 2:00pm (EDT) / 8:00pm (CEST)
After the British takeover of New York, the cultural and business relationship between the Dutch and New York continued despite England’s attempts to restrict it with its various Navigation Acts. Though much of the Dutch history of the region has been sadly lost or forgotten, place names and words remain: Brooklyn (Breuckelen), Staten Island (Staaten Eiland), Harlem (Haerlem), Catskill, and Kinderhook, along with cookie (koekje), coleslaw (koolsla), waffle (wafel), and Santa Claus (Sinterklass). Fast forward to the 21st century, New York City continues to be recognized as a global center for the exchange of cultures, resources, and ideas. The impact of the artists, architects, and urban designers of today’s Netherlands continue to inspire both New York and the world. The NetherlandsNOW program focuses on the contributions and the synergies between the USA and the Netherlands, and showcases how the exchange of knowledge, innovation, and ideas can help address the challenges our built and natural environment face today. Contemporary Dutch architects are international leaders in designing responses to today’s urban issues of housing, resiliency, mobility, and public space. This program is in two parts: Framing the Future: Dutch Architects in New York, which highlights the work of Dutch architects currently practicing in New York and reflects on their cross-cultural experiences, and Design Innovations: A Panorama of Dutch Architects Today, which showcases the work of established and emerging firms in the Netherlands.
Moderator:
Catherine McVay Hughes, Community Activist & Board of Directors, Lower Manhattan Development Corporation
People First in Lower Manhattan
Alice Shay, Principal, Buro Happold
John Massengale, AIA CNU, Architect, Urbanist, Massengale & Co LLC
Ben Furnas, Executive Director, Transportation Alternatives
Emily Weidenhof, Assistant Commissioner, NYC DOT
Alice Shay is a Principal at Buro Happold and leads urban design and strategic planning projects with the firm’s Cities team. Educated at Brown University and MIT, Alice brings insights for the delivery of a highquality public realm, infrastructure adaptive reuse, management of large interdisciplinary teams, and innovation processes for urban development challenges. At Buro Happold, Alice managed the Brooklyn Marine Terminal Master Plan, Reimagine the Canals Task Force and Vision Plan, NYC Green Economy Action Plan, EJNYC Study, NYC Film & TV Industry Study, and Make Way for Lower Manhattan. Alice is an Instructor with the Cornell University Department of City and Regional Planning.
John Massengale, AIA CNU, is an architect and urban designer in New York City. A member of the FDNA Make Way for Lower Manhattan team, he is the author of Street Design, The Secret to Great Cities and Towns (“the best book ever written about designing streets”), and New York 1900, Metropolitan Architecture and Urbanism 1890-1915, with Robert A.M. Stern and Gregory Gilmartin. John is the Chair of the New York City chapter of the Congress for New Urbanism and is also on the Board of the City Club of New York, where he is the Co-Chair of the Urban Design Committee.
Ben Furnas is a leading expert in urban sustainability, climate, and infrastructure. He currently heads Transportation Alternatives, advocating for safer, more equitable streets in New York City. Previously, he served in the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Sustainability, where he helped advance Vision Zero, building decarbonization, and fleet electrification. A graduate of Cornell University and NYU Law, Ben has worked across public, academic, and nonprofit sectors to shape climate policy rooted in urban equity, and was Executive Director of The 2030 Project: A Cornell Climate Initiative.
Emily Weidenhof is Assistant Commissioner at NYC’s Department of Transportation, where she works with community groups across the five boroughs to re-imagine and transform streets into public spaces. She helped institutionalize the key city programs of Open Streets and Open Restaurants and has overseen projects such as 34th Avenue in Queens and Brooklyn’s Bike Boulevards. Educated in architecture and urban design at Penn State and Columbia Universities, she brings a peoplecentered approach to city streets.
At Waters Edge: Resiliency for Lower Manhattan
Afternoon 2:00pm (EDT) / 8:00pm (CEST)
After the British takeover of New York, the cultural and business relationship between the Dutch and New York continued despite England’s attempts to restrict it with its various Navigation Acts. Though much of the Dutch history of the region has been sadly lost or forgotten, place names and words remain: Brooklyn (Breuckelen), Staten Island (Staaten Eiland), Harlem (Haerlem), Catskill, and Kinderhook, along with cookie (koekje), coleslaw (koolsla), waffle (wafel), and Santa Claus (Sinterklass). Fast forward to the 21st century, New York City continues to be recognized as a global center for the exchange of cultures, resources, and ideas. The impact of the artists, architects, and urban designers of today’s Netherlands continue to inspire both New York and the world. The NetherlandsNOW program focuses on the contributions and the synergies between the USA and the Netherlands, and showcases how the exchange of knowledge, innovation, and ideas can help address the challenges our built and natural environment face today. Contemporary Dutch architects are international leaders in designing responses to today’s urban issues of housing, resiliency, mobility, and public space. This program is in two parts: Framing the Future: Dutch Architects in New York, which highlights the work of Dutch architects currently practicing in New York and reflects on their cross-cultural experiences, and Design Innovations: A Panorama of Dutch Architects Today, which showcases the work of established and emerging firms in the Netherlands.
Kimberlae Saul, AIA, Vice President Planning & Design, Battery Park City Authority
Alexis Taylor, Vice President of Climate Resilience, NYC Economic Development Corporation
Jonathan Marvel, FAIA, Founding Principal, Marvel Architects
Matthijs Bouw, Founder & President, One Architecture
Panel Discussion, Questions and Answers
Kimberlae Saul is a licensed architect who has worked across multiple disciplines in shaping urban and campus environments in New York City. Currently serving as the Vice President for Planning & Design at BPCA, Kimberlae is responsible for overseeing its capital planning, design, and sustainability activities, including the oversight of long-term capital projects. Educated at the University of Southern California and Columbia University’s GSAAP, Kimberlae was previously the Campus Architect at Pratt Institute. She is currently a Visiting Associate Professor at Pratt Institute, and a part-time faculty member at The New School. She is also co-chair of AIANY’s Design for Risk & Reconstruction Committee.
Alexis Taylor serves as Vice President of Climate Resilience at the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) where she is responsible for leading a portfolio of resilience and waterfront projects. These include neighborhood-scale resilience projects such as the Financial-District & Seaport Climate Resilience Master Plan; resilient waterfront greenway planning and design; and climate risk assessment tools to understand multi-hazard climate impacts across NYCEDC assets and inform future planning priorities. Educated at the University of Pennsylvania and MIT, she previously worked for the Bureau of Flood Resilience, Engineering and Construction at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and was a Senior Project Manager with Rebuild by Design.
Jonathan Marvel is the Founding Principal of Marvel and a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. Born in Puerto Rico, Jonathan is an architect and urban designer with over 30 years of experience and has led Marvel’s efforts across countless typologies. In 2017, Jonathan cofounded Resilient Power Puerto Rico after the devastation of Hurricane Maria, and since then has spoken on behalf of the island’s needs at TEDx Dartmouth, The Architectural League, AIA Puerto Rico, and many other venues. Educated at Dartmouth College and Harvard University’s GSD, he is the recipient of national and international design awards including a 2019 Presidential Citation by the American Institute of Architects, the AIANY Medal of Honor in 2024, and was named one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People of 2019.
Matthijs Bouw is a Dutch architect and urbanist and founder of One Architecture, an award-winning Amsterdam and New York-based design and planning firm. Educated at the Delft University of Technology, Bouw directs the Urban Resilience Certificate Program for the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design, where he is Professor of Practice and Rockefeller Urban Resilience Fellow. A co-leader of the BIG Team that won the Rebuild by Design competition for the flood protection of Manhattan, Matthijs is currently part of the multi-disciplinary teams executing the first phase of the East Side Coastal Resiliency project for Lower Manhattan, as well as planning the Lower Manhattan Coastal Protection project.
2000’s Symposium: theNetherlandsNOW
2000’s Symposium: theNetherlandsNOW
Framing the Future : Dutch Architects in New York
Morning 8:30am (EDT) / 2:30pm (CEST)
While what we now call New York City was glimpsed by Giovanni da Verrazzano (an Italian) who was sailing the coast of North America on behalf of the King of France in 1524, and explored by Henry Hudson (an Englishman) on behalf of the Dutch East India Company looking for a northwest passage to Asia up the river eventually named for him, it was first settled by the Dutch in 1624 – initially on what we now call Governor’s Island - and later at the tip of what we now call Manhattan. The Dutch village of New Amsterdam was established by the newly created Dutch West India Company as part of the regional colonization – and fur trading center - of New Netherlands. Unlike the nearby religious colony established in 1620 in Massachusetts by the Pilgrims (the Puritans), New Amsterdam brought with it the unique social norms of its European counterpart – Amsterdam itself – with a level of cultural and religious tolerance the was unusual in Europe at the time. And business – what we now call capitalism – was its primary purpose. As such, over its 40-year legacy, New Amsterdam welcomed a hugely diverse group of settlers including those of Dutch, French, German, Jewish, African, and South American descent, to work. It established itself as a center of regional and international economy. It was not a perfect society by any means, with drunkenness and violence part of the day-to-day experiences of its residents, as well as its complex relationships with the indigenous population generally known today as the Lenape, and the slave-trading of the Africans (though some could own land in what is now known as Greenwich Village), but it was distinctly tolerant and highly diverse for any European settlement in North America. Its laws were guided by the 1579 Union of Utrecht’s principles of “freedom of conscience” As Russell Shorto notes in his recent book “Taking Manhattan”, all this might have come to an end with the British taking of New York in 1664. But the then Governor of New Amsterdam, Petrus Stuyvesant, surrendered to the invading English ships – without a shot of cannon fire - both to save the infrastructure of the village, and the social society that its residents – at that point 9,000 people in New Netherlands overall – had shaped and lived by. Renamed New York – after the Duke of York later to become King James II – the entrepreneurial and tolerant spirit of New York was saved - and arguably – the future spirit of America. Religious freedom, individual rights, private entrepreneurism, etc. endured in New York prior to the American Revolution over a century later.
Moderators
Abby Suckle, FAIA, Co-Chair AIANY Architecture Dialogue Committee, Vice President of the Lower Manhattan Historical Association, President of cultureNOW
Rutger Huiberts, AIA, ARB, Director, KPF, Co-Chair AIANY Architecture Dialogue Committee
Welcome
Barry Nieuwenhuijs, Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in New York
- Francine Houben, Founding Partner, Mecanoo (Delft, The Netherlands)
- Winka Dubbeldam, Founding Partner, Archi-Tectonics (New York, NY)
- Florian Idenburg, Managing Principal, Founding Partner, SO–IL (Brooklyn, NY)
- Rijk Rietveld, Founder, Rietveld Architects (New York, NY)
Francine Marie Jeanne Houben is a Dutch architect who graduated with cum laude honors from the Delft University of Technology. She is the founding partner and creative director of Mecanoo architecten, an architecture firm based in Delft, The Netherlands.
Houben’s work spans a wide range of projects, including universities, libraries, theaters, residential areas, and museums. Her approach to architecture combines social, technical, playful, and human aspects of space-making. She is particularly known for her design of libraries, including the Library of Birmingham and the refurbishment of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C.
Houben has received numerous accolades for her work, including the 2014 Woman Architect of the Year award by the Architects’ Journal.
Mecanoo is a renowned Dutch architecture firm founded in 1984 and based in Delft, Netherlands, with additional offices in New York, London, and Kaohsiung. Led by Creative Director Francine Houben, the firm is known for its human-centered design philosophy, which balances People, Place, and Purpose. Mecanoo’s diverse portfolio spans libraries, cultural centers, housing, transportation hubs, and civic buildings—each shaped by context, sustainability, and social impact.
Signature projects include the Library of Birmingham, Delft Railway Station, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C., and the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts in Taiwan. With a multidisciplinary team and a commitment to inclusive, futureoriented design, Mecanoo continues to shape meaningful spaces around the world.
Winka Dubbeldam, March, MsAAD, is the founder and partner of Archi-Tectonics NYC, LLC, a WBE-certified firm with offices in the U.S., the Netherlands, and China. Known for award-winning, sustainable design, her studio has completed a wide range of mixed-use, residential, wellness, and retail projects—including flagship stores for Ports1961 in London, Paris, and Shanghai. Archi-Tectonics won the Asian Games Design Competition for a 116- acre eco-park and hybrid stadium complex in Hangzhou, China, which opened in 2023 and has since been repurposed as a civic hub. The project garnered multiple international awards, as did her 512GW Townhouse, honored by AIA, SARA, and others.
Appointed as Director and CEO of SCI-Arc Los Angeles, starting in September 2025, Dubbeldam previously chaired the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Architecture (2013–2023), where she also led the ARI Lab. She has taught at Columbia, Cornell, and Harvard, and was named one of Design Intelligence’s 30 Most Admired Educators in 2015. Dubbeldam serves as External Examiner at the Architectural Association and Bartlett UCL, sits on several international award juries, and recently joined Bogotá’s Architecture Biennale 2025 as an advisor. Her work is featured in global publications and monographs, with a fifth, Monsters & Mutants (Park Books), forthcoming in Fall 2025.
Archi-Tectonics is a WBE-certified architecture and design studio founded in 1994 by Winka Dubbeldam, with offices in New York City, Amsterdam, and Hangzhou. Led by Dubbeldam and partner Justin Korhammer, the firm is known for its innovative, multidisciplinary approach that blends advanced digital design, rigorous research, and sustainable fabrication methods. Archi-Tectonics works across scales—from objects to buildings to urban systems—creating concept-driven environments that prioritize performance, equity, and ecological intelligence. Their portfolio includes award-winning projects such as the Asian Games Eco Park and Hybrid Stadiums in Hangzhou, the 512GW Townhouse, and flagship retail spaces for Ports1961. With a commitment to design excellence and future-facing solutions, Archi-Tectonics delivers architecture that is both imaginative and enduring.
Florian Idenburg is a globally recognized architect with over two decades of experience, particularly known for his innovative work in residential architecture. After honing his skills in Amsterdam and Tokyo, he co-founded SO–IL in New York in 2008 with Jing Liu. Florian has made significant contributions to multifamily housing in Brooklyn, where he has designed a number of widely recognized projects that push the boundaries of traditional typologies. His work spans both market-rate and affordable housing, demonstrating a unique ability to innovate within the constraints of market realities.
Florian’s expertise lies in re-imagining residential spaces, creating environments that enhance the quality of life for their inhabitants. His projects are marked by a keen intuition for the interplay of form, material, and light, transforming imaginative concepts into tangible, livable spaces. His approach to housing design is captured in the book *In Depth: Urban Domesticities Today*, which explores how SO-IL “hacks” traditional codes, cores, courts, and corridors to promote well-being and community in urban living. Through his thoughtful approach and collaborative spirit, Florian continues to influence the future of residential architecture, in urban contexts like Brooklyn and beyond.
In recognition of his contributions to architecture, Florian has received several prestigious awards, including the Charlotte Köhler Prize from the Prince Bernhard Culture Fund in 2010, the Architecture Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2022, and the United States Artists Fellow Prize in 2022. He is a registered architect in the Netherlands and an International Associate of the American Institute of Architects.
SOLID OBJECTIVES IDENBURG LIU (SO–IL) believes in open, thoughtful, and humanistic architecture that creates meaningful cultural and social impact. The studio is dedicated to designing transformative arts and civic projects that enrich communities and the environment. Founders Florian Idenburg and Jing Liu met in Tokyo in 2001 and formed SO–IL in New York City in 2008 with a vision of a global practice that merges craft and detail-oriented construction with intellectual rigor and a distinct aesthetic. The studio of skilled and committed architects is based in New York and Amsterdam and has cultivated a diverse international portfolio of critically-acclaimed projects. Staying true to its founding ideology, SO–IL continues to play a leading role in the wider dialogue of architecture today through building, education, and publishing.
Rijk Rietveld Rijk Rietveld grew up working in his father’s architecture office. He spent his formative years at the Academy of Building Arts in Amsterdam. To fulfil an academic internship, he chose the office of Herman Hertzberger and remained there for many years where he became the head designer of an international practice. Being part of Structuralist group of architects with Aldo van Eyck and Jan Rietveld was an especially memorable experience. Rijk Rietveld worked for twelve years in the Amsterdam office of Herman Hertzberger before moving to New York In 1986. He became an Associate Partner of Richard Meier and Partners in 1992, where he was responsible for the design and execution of the Central Library and City Hall in The Hague, the Canal Plus headquarters in Paris, and the headquarters of Compaq in Houston.
In 1996 Rijk went on to work for I.M. Pei on the design of the Museum for German History in Berlin. Rijk Rietveld has lectured at many European and American Universities including Berkeley, Scy-Arc, MIT, Penn and Columbia. He was an Assistant Professor at Virginia Tech and is a registered architects in New York and the Netherlands. Currently, Rijk and Margaret work on cutting edge, environmental and nature-inclusive designs in the Greater New York area and continuing work in the Netherlands with projects in London, Paris and Italy.
Since its founding in 1993, Rietveld Architects has conceived public and private spaces that provide a fresh take on what’s modern. With associates in Amsterdam and Argentina, the New York-based firm serves as a laboratory for design invention where new notions of living, working, and building are evaluated and explored. Through research alliances with the world’s foremost building and engineering experts, Rietveld Architects has advanced notable building innovations, including the world’s thinnest four-story curtain wall façade for the InHolland College building at Delft University. Rietveld Architect’s pioneering approach to design, construction, and reuse have garnered it numerous honors, including awards from the AIA and SARA, as well as the Top Ten Façade Innovation Award. While high-tech thinking informs all its projects, so too does a high-touch sensibility. In fact, Rietveld Architects has won acclaim for its supremely luxurious designs, expertly curated to suit the taste and requirements of its clients. Clients include international developers and corporations, municipal governments, universities and schools. Residential architecture in all typologies— affordable housing, high-rise towers, and private homes—is a key focus of the firm.
Design Innovations: A Panorama of Dutch Architecture Today
While what we now call New York City was glimpsed by Giovanni da Verrazzano (an Italian) who was sailing the coast of North America on behalf of the King of France in 1524, and explored by Henry Hudson (an Englishman) on behalf of the Dutch East India Company looking for a northwest passage to Asia up the river eventually named for him, it was first settled by the Dutch in 1624 – initially on what we now call Governor’s Island - and later at the tip of what we now call Manhattan. The Dutch village of New Amsterdam was established by the newly created Dutch West India Company as part of the regional colonization – and fur trading center - of New Netherlands. Unlike the nearby religious colony established in 1620 in Massachusetts by the Pilgrims (the Puritans), New Amsterdam brought with it the unique social norms of its European counterpart – Amsterdam itself – with a level of cultural and religious tolerance the was unusual in Europe at the time. And business – what we now call capitalism – was its primary purpose. As such, over its 40-year legacy, New Amsterdam welcomed a hugely diverse group of settlers including those of Dutch, French, German, Jewish, African, and South American descent, to work. It established itself as a center of regional and international economy. It was not a perfect society by any means, with drunkenness and violence part of the day-to-day experiences of its residents, as well as its complex relationships with the indigenous population generally known today as the Lenape, and the slave-trading of the Africans (though some could own land in what is now known as Greenwich Village), but it was distinctly tolerant and highly diverse for any European settlement in North America. Its laws were guided by the 1579 Union of Utrecht’s principles of “freedom of conscience” As Russell Shorto notes in his recent book “Taking Manhattan”, all this might have come to an end with the British taking of New York in 1664. But the then Governor of New Amsterdam, Petrus Stuyvesant, surrendered to the invading English ships – without a shot of cannon fire - both to save the infrastructure of the village, and the social society that its residents – at that point 9,000 people in New Netherlands overall – had shaped and lived by. Renamed New York – after the Duke of York later to become King James II – the entrepreneurial and tolerant spirit of New York was saved - and arguably – the future spirit of America. Religious freedom, individual rights, private entrepreneurism, etc. endured in New York prior to the American Revolution over a century later.
- Jos van Eldonk, Partner Architect, Common Affairs (Amsterdam)
- Evert Klinkenberg, Founding Partner, BETA (Amsterdam)
- Jan Knikker, Partner, Director of Strategy, MVRDV (The Randstad)
- Stefan Prins, Partner, Powerhouse Company (Rotterdam)
- Dikkie Scipio, Founding Partner, KAAN Architecten (Rotterdam)
- Erikjan Vermeulen, Head of Architecture, Partner, Concrete Amsterdam (Amsterdam)
- Frans van Vuure, Senior Architect, Managing Director, UNS (Amsterdam)
Panel Discussion, Questions & Closing Remarks
Jos van Eldonk is partner architect at the Amsterdam-based architectural firm Common Affairs. He primarily works on urban and architectural transformation projects. His passion lies in giving structures a second, or even a third, life. Imagine and connect!
Common Affairs is a relatively young firm, celebrating its ninth anniversary in 2025. Our work focuses on retail, housing, transformation, and the redevelopment of inner cities and industrial areas. Every project inspires us through its unique location, program, and client. For each client, we seek the most exciting and most fitting solution. With every assignment, we explore the past and the future, the everyday and the specific. We study the people, their relationships and their habits. Cities and buildings are rooted in the unique quality of the place, they are created in the interaction between people. It is in this exchange between place and person that real life emerges: Common Affairs.
Common Affairs creates uncommon architecture for everyday life. We design striking buildings and places that people can truly make their own, places with room for both the individual and the collective, for similarity and difference. We believe that good design strikes a balance between vision, imagination, and functionality. This is reflected in the layered nature of our work. We weigh up interests and challenge. What we create is as surprising as it is familiar. It feels right and it stands out.
Contributing to a sustainable society is a given for Common Affairs. The buildings and cities we create are designed for a sustainable future, both environmentally and socially. Our designs are built to last, to age gracefully, and to be easy to maintain. We have a preference for bio-based and circular design. We are acutely aware of the environmental impact of construction. In every project, we engage with stakeholders to explore ways to reduce that impact and to reuse buildings or their components wherever possible.
Evert Klinkenberg studied architecture at TU Delft and ETH Zürich. After graduating in 2008 he worked at Herzog & de Meuron in Basel on projects in New York, Beijing, London, Bordeaux and Basel. Additionally he taught design studios at ETH Zürich and TU Delft. After 10 years in Switzerland, he returned to the Netherlands, where he co-founded BETA in 2015.
BETA was founded in 2015 in Amsterdam by partners Evert Klinkenberg and Auguste van Oppen. Before starting their own practice, they gained broad professional experience both locally and internationally.
The studio focuses on architecture and research within the contemporary city, using an investigative approach that places people and social structures at the center. Many of their projects are shaped by prior research, while built work often leads to new inquiries into types and programs. The office investigates the performative nature of architecture for optimal effect in spatial use, architectural expression, and resource efficiency.
In addition to housing, BETA works on public buildings and urban design across the Netherlands and Europe, and has received recognition through competitions and awards including the Amsterdam Architecture Prize in 2018 and 2025.
Jan Knikker joined MVRDV in 2008. Before this he started his career as a journalist, and then shaped the public image of OMA for nearly a decade. As Partner at MVRDV, Jan leads the Contracts, Business Development and Public Relations efforts, forming a fast and strategic studio that includes a strong visualisation team and the practice’s sustainability team. He leads MVRDV’s branding efforts and has overseen the practice’s rapid expansion into new markets, focusing on solutions for global issues through its architecture and urbanism. He has worked on many publications and exhibitions, including the book MVRDV Buildings.
Jan regularly lectures internationally, at commercial and academic venues. He writes for various publications and was Deputy Editor of Domus 2019. Jan is currently member of the Denkmal & Gestaltungsbeirat of the city of Wiesbaden, Germany (Esthetical and Heritage Council). He is a member of the HNI Heritage Network, led the online design magazine Dafne, and from 2007 to 2011 was a member of the International Projects commission of the Netherlands Architecture Funds.
MVRDV, an architecture and urban design firm based in Rotterdam, Netherlands, with additional offices in Berlin, Paris, New York, and Shanghai, was founded in 1993 by Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs, and Nathalie de Vries—whose initials form the name MVRDV—the firm is known for its bold, experimental designs and data-driven approach to urban challenges.
Their work spans housing, cultural institutions, public spaces, and large-scale urban planning. Notable projects include the Markthal in Rotterdam, the Dutch Pavilion at Expo 2000, and the Valley tower in Amsterdam. MVRDV often blends playfulness with pragmatism, aiming to create spaces that are both imaginative and socially responsive.
Stefan Prins is a Partner at Powerhouse Company. He is responsible for public projects and complex inner city developments and manages a team that specializes in these typologies. He leads the development and implementation of complex timber solutions in design processes, while ensuring the alignment of all stakeholders. Prins regularly gives lectures or leads design studios at Universities, such as the Academy of Architecture in Groningen and Rotterdam.
Powerhouse Company is an international architectural firm rooted in the heart of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with offices in Oslo and Munich. Since their establishment in 2005, they’ve grown into a multidisciplinary, forward-thinking team of over 100 talented professionals.
Founder Nanne de Ru is joined by an esteemed leadership team, including Paul Stavert, Stefan Prins, Sander Apperlo, Johanne Borthne, Albert Takashi Richters, and Emma Scholten. Together, they forge ahead into the future of architecture, driven by a shared passion for innovation and design excellence.
The Powerhouse Company portfolio consists of a diverse range of projects that reflect the firm’s dedication to timelessness, beauty, and the quality of life for the users of these projects. Their work includes transformation projects, villas, future-proof workspaces, residential complexes, custom interior designs, and impactful public projects. From awe-inspiring residences that seamlessly blend with nature to sustainable mixed-use developments that redefine cityscapes. The team carefully crafts their projects into wellbalanced designs through in-depth research of the historical and future context.
Dikkie Scipio is a Professor of Architecture at FH Münster and one of the Founding Partners at KAAN Architecten. She specializes in intricate undertakings and processes, with a particular focus oncraftsmanship within architecture, the concept of beauty and re-imagining heritage in contemporary times. She seamlessly integrates building and expansion with preservation, showcasing her commitment to respecting existing structures and historical significance.
KAAN Architecten is a Rotterdam-based architectural firm operating globally across the fields of architecture, urbanism, and built environment research, with additional offices in New York (2020), São Paulo (2015), and Paris (2019).
Led by Kees Kaan, Vincent Panhuysen, and Dikkie Scipio, the studio is home to an international, multidisciplinary team of architects, landscape architects, urban planners, engineers, and design specialists. The firm embraces cross-disciplinary collaboration as a catalyst for critical discourse and design excellence. In recent years,
KAAN Architecten has developed a distinctive methodology rooted in a narrative-driven design process, which unfolds across three key pillars: process design, customized to the unique goals of each project; design as a communication tool, ensuring clarity and inclusivity throughout development; and integrated sustainability, embedding principles like material circularity, climate resilience, and user well-being from the earliest stages. This integrated approach has proven especially effective in delivering large-scale, complex projects that unite functional longevity, spatial quality, and commercial value in architecture and the public realm.
Erikjan Vermeulen (born April 2, 1973, in Texel, the Netherlands) is a Dutch architect and co-founder of Concrete Architecture, established in 2006 alongside Rob Wagemans. With a background rooted in both practice and design innovation, Vermeulen brings decades of experience across architecture and urban development.
He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the HTS University of Construction in Utrecht in 1995, followed by a Master’s in Architecture from the Academy of Architecture in Amsterdam, completed in 2001. During his studies, he also participated in a formative 30-day Bauhaus workshop in Dessau in 1994.
Vermeulen’s early career included roles at leading Dutch firms, working as an architectural designer at Sluijmer en van Leeuwen Architects (1995–1997), project leader at Meijer en van Schooten Architects (1997–1999), and project architect at Arons en Gelauff Architects (1999–2003). In 2003, he founded his own studio, Erikjan Vermeulen Architects, before joining forces at Concrete to help shape distinctive, experience-driven spaces around the world.
Concrete Amsterdam is a multidisciplinary interior and architecture studio. Developing innovative concepts since 1997, that transcend traditional boundaries in architecture, interior design, urban design, branding, and conceptual programming. Concrete prioritizes ‘people before buildings’, shaping environments that seamlessly integrate with human life, across hospitality, housing, public buildings, retail, leading to innovative solutions globally.
Frans van Vuure is a globally recognized architect, urban designer, and Managing Director of UNS Austin, with over 30 years of experience delivering award-winning, peoplecentered infrastructure and transit projects. Known for leading transformative efforts like the Austin Light Rail, LAX modernization, and urban mobility initiatives in Houston and Detroit, his work blends design vision with community impact. With projects ranging from the Wasl Tower in Dubai to Kutaisi Airport in Georgia, Frans excels at uniting international teams to realize sustainable, city-defining architecture that advances both local priorities and long-term urban goals.
UNS was founded in 1988 by Ben van Berkel and Caroline Bos. From bridges to public buildings, homes to workplaces, and exhibitions to urban developments, our work spans every scale and discipline. We see every project as an opportunity to shape the way people live, work, and connect. Our name, UNS, stands for United Network Studio, a statement of our approach and belief in the power of collaboration. By uniting diverse perspectives, we create spaces that challenge conventions, inspire new ways of thinking, and push boundaries to design a better future.
We believe in the power of design to create change. With a clear understanding of every project’s economic requirements and constraints, our goal remains to design socially, sustainably, and ethically responsible environments. We are self-critical as an organisation, constantly striving to improve and evolve. We apply our expertise to deliver far more than just architecture. Our teams generate fresh ideas and innovative solutions to tackle today’s most pressing challenges. We challenge the status quo, collaborating with clients, partners, and industry experts to contribute to a greener, healthier, and smarter built environment. By doing so, we aim to empower users and foster stronger, future-ready communities.
The 1900’s: Connecting the City: The History of Infrastructure Symposium
The 1900’s: Connecting the City: The History of Infrastructure Symposium
Richard Miller retired as Vice President for Energy and Environmental Law at Con Edison in 2023. He joined Con Edison in 2003 and worked on various matters for the Company, including federal energy policy, energy efficiency, renewable power, greenhouse gas regulation and the Con Edison steam system. Previously (1998 to 2003), he was Senior Vice-President for Energy at the New York City Economic Development Corporation, where he oversaw City energy policy during the transition to restructured electric markets. He is also a former President of the Northeast Energy Bar Association and Transportation Alternatives Board member. He wrote an article for the History section of Power & Energy Magazine entitled “Pearl Street Station: Powering The First Distribution Network. He is a graduate of Amherst College and New York University School of Law and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo, West Africa. He lives in Brooklyn and has used the bicycle as his primary form of transportation since 2003. He currently averages about 5,500 bicycling miles annually in the City for commuting, running errands, and leisure trips (especially to Fort Tilden in the Rockaways).
Daniel Taft is a Chief Engineer at Con Edison. He received a Bachelor of Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey and a Master of Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. He began his career at General Electric in Philadelphia in 1979 and later took a position at Hubbell, Inc. in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Joining Con Edison in 1990, Dan held positions as an Engineer, Senior System Operator, and Section Manager, all in the area of high voltage transmission. He took a position with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, DC in 2009 and returned to Con Edison two years later. Dan’s hobbies include photography, ballroom dancing, and bowling.
Polly Desjarlais is the Content & Research Manager at the New York Transit Museum, where she has worked for almost 20 years. She hails from the United Kingdom but made Brooklyn home in the mid 1990s and found a way to put her BA in Historical, Political and Philosophical Studies to use by joining the Museum’s Education Department. Being a life-long city-dweller, she is interested in how cities work and the role that urban transportation plays in their history and development. She is passionate about the past she is immersed in and making Museum experiences fun, interesting and relevant for everyone.
John Tauranac writes on New York City’s social- and architectural history, a subject that he taught part time for almost forty years at NYU’s School of Continuing & Professional Studies. His books include New York’s Scoundrels, Scalawags, and Scrappers; Manhattan’s Little Secrets; the three editions of New York from the Air; The Empire State Building: The Making of a Landmark; Elegant New York, etc. Wearing another hat, Tauranac designs maps. His first published map was “The Undercover Map of Midtown Manhattan,” which New York Magazine published in 1972. Seeing New York: The Official MTA Travel Guide was published in 1976, and it included a geographic map of the city’s subway system. He chaired the MTA subway map committee for the bulk of its existence in the late 1970s, and he was the creative director of the 1979 New York City subway map. The MTA map was awarded a Commendation for Design Excellence by the National Endowment for the Arts and the U.S. Department of Transportation. Other honors include an Award for Teaching Excellence by NYU, and Tauranac was named a Centennial Historian of the City of New York by the Mayor’s Office in 1999 in celebration of the consolidation of Greater New York City in 1898.
1800’s Symposium: Lafayette and the Gilded Age Symposium
1800’s Symposium: Lafayette and the Gilded Age Symposium
Mike Duncan is one of the foremost history podcasters in the world. His award-winning series The History of Rome set the standard for episodic narrative history and inspired a generation of listeners. His current series Revolutions explores the great political revolutions that have shaped the course of the modern world. He is the author of two New York Times Bestsellers The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic and Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution.
Robert Snyder, Manhattan Borough Historian and Professor Emeritus of American Studies and Journalism at Rutgers University, has devoted his career to writing and teaching about the history of New York City. He was a fellow of the Smithsonian Institution and a Fulbright lecturer in South Korea. His books include Crossing Broadway: Washington Heights and the Promise of New York and All the Nations Under Heaven: Immigrants, Migrants and the Making of New York, and the forthcoming When the City Stopped: Stories from New York’s Essential Workers.
Professor Moisette Broderick Mosette Broderick specializes in 19th and early 20th century American and English architecture, and has been a professor of architectural history and urban issues at New York University since 1989.
Professor Broderick wrote the history portion of the book, The Villard Houses: Life Story of a Landmark, and is also the author of Triumvirate: McKim Mead & White-Art, Architecture, Scandal and class in America’s Gilded Ages, as well as Fifth Avenue: History of America’s Street of Dreams. She has begun a study of the American beach style of the 1880’s popularly known as The Shingle Style. She is also working on the collection of works of art from a Florentine dealer of the late 19th century.
In addition to the above research Professor Broderick is the Director of the London MA Programme in Historical and Sustainable Architecture, as well as the Director of the Urban Design and Architecture Studies program.
John Tauranac writes on New York City’s social- and architectural history, a subject that he taught part time for almost forty years at NYU’s School of Continuing & Professional Studies.
His books include New York’s Scoundrels, Scalawags, and Scrappers; Manhattan’s Little Secrets; the three editions of New York from the Air; The Empire State Building: The Making of a Landmark; Elegant New York, etc.
Wearing another hat, Tauranac designs maps. His first published map was “The Undercover Map of Midtown Manhattan,” which New York Magazine published in 1972. Seeing New York: The Official MTA Travel Guide was published in 1976, and it included a geographic map of the city’s subway system.
He chaired the MTA subway map committee for the bulk of its existence in the late 1970s, and he was the creative director of the 1979 New York City subway map. The MTA map was awarded a Commendation for Design Excellence by the National Endowment for the Arts and the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Other honors include an Award for Teaching Excellence by NYU, and Tauranac was named a Centennial Historian of the City of New York by the Mayor’s Office in 1999 in celebration of the consolidation of Greater New York City in 1898.
1700’s Symposium : The Path to Liberty
1700’s Symposium : The Path to Liberty
Claire Bellerjeau is the co-author of “Espionage and Enslavement in the Revolution: The True Story of Robert Townsend and Elizabeth”, published in May of 2021. In 2022 she co-founded a 501(c)3 non-profit organization called Remember Liss, with the mission to educate the community about Liss’s extraordinary life and times. Though the non-profit she co-authored and published a student version of Liss’s story, titled “Remember Liss” in March 2023. Bellerjeau formerly served as Historian and Director of Education at Raynham Hall Museum in Oyster Bay, New York, where Liss was once enslaved. She has been researching the Townsend family and those they enslaved for over twenty years.
Scott Dwyer the Executive Director of Sons of the RevolutionSM in the State of New York and its Fraunces Tavern® Museum. Prior to joining the Museum in 2020, he was a relationship manager with Cohen & Steers and a product marketing associate and RFP writer with J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Scott also held leadership positions with multiple organizations including the NYU Alumni Association, 6th & B Community Garden, and The Present Theatre Company, producer of FringeNYC. He has a BS in Business Administration from NYU Stern.
Lisa Goulet oversees the care and display of Fraunces Tavern Museum’s 8,000-plus piece collection. She conducts research on objects in the permanent collection; writes, designs, and prepares displays for exhibitions; and facilitates donations, loans, and image and research requests. Born in Canada, she holds a BA in Visual Arts from Brock University where she studied art history, drawing, and photography. She also holds an MA in Museum Studies from New York University. Prior to Fraunces Tavern Museum, Lisa worked at the Climate Museum and Richard Avedon Foundation.
Peter Hein is a Past President of Sons of the RevolutionSM in the State of New York, Inc., owner and operator of Fraunces Tavern® Museum. Mr. Hein worked closely with SRNY Museum & Art Committee Co-Chairmen Ambrose Richardson and Craig Weaver, Scott Dwyer, Executive Director of SRNY and its Fraunces Tavern® Museum, and Lisa Goulet, Collections Manager of Fraunces Tavern Museum, in the research for and development of the Museum’s latest special exhibition, “Path to Liberty: The Emergence of a Nation”. Mr. Hein is also the Secretary and a member of the Board of the Lower Manhattan Historical Association, among other affiliations. Mr Hein grew up in Wisconsin, but has resided in Manhattan for over 50 years. He received his J.D. degree from Columbia University School of Law and a B.A. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Seth Kaller is a leading expert in buying, selling, authenticating, and appraising rare historic documents and artifacts. Kaller has built museum quality collections for individuals and institutions, as well as legacy collections for philanthropists to donate. He has handled important manuscripts, documents and rare books relating to the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution; leaves from George Washington’s draft of his inaugural address; Abraham Lincoln’s “House Divided” manuscript and signed copies of the Thirteenth Amendment and the Emancipation Proclamation; and Robert E. Lee’s farewell to his troops.
Charles Schwam works as an account executive and runs day-to-day activities for a non-profit association simultaneously. Chuck, as he is known, came to the greater Washington DC area from Philadelphia to attend American University in 1978 to study sports journalism. Shortly thereafter, he found his skills better suited as an account executive instead of a broadcaster. For over forty years, he has been the leader in his industry, managing national and local accounts while maintaining the top position in sales and new business. Chuck’s unwavering passion for both his professional career and his work with The American Friends of Lafayette has been a driving force in the organization’s transformation.
Lloyd Kramer is a Professor Emeritus of History at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where his research and teaching have focused on modern France and the wider Atlantic world. He earlier served as an assistant editor with Stanley Idzerda for a volume of Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, and his other publications include Lafayette in Two Worlds: Public Cultures and Personal Identities in an Age of Revolutions.
George Bruton-Delaney, a descendant of James Lafayette, is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel with more than 25 years of leadership in information technology, healthcare operations, emergency medicine, and humanitarian service. He began his military journey in the elite Air Force Presidential Honor Guard and as a Pentagon Tour Guide. He rose through the ranks to serve as Chief Technology Officer for the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency. Today, he continues his mission in the civilian world, having served as Chief Technologist, Chief Architect, and Program Manager at Peraton, where he supports Defense Health and Operational Medicine IT modernization initiatives. George is a lifelong learner and aspiring pilot who holds a broad portfolio of certifications and continues his academic journey in technology management.
Moses L. Delaney, a descendant of James Lafayette, is a U.S. Air Force veteran with over 19 years’ experience in Higher Education. After spending four years serving at the U.S. Air Force’s War College. Moses served abroad, including a deployment to Al Jabar Airbase, Kuwait. He has served as the College President of various vocational institutions in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Virginia. Moses believes a commitment to furthering one’s education can lead to a life of rewarding service and purpose. Leading by example, he has earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, a Master of Education degree, and he is in pursuit of a Doctor of Education degree.
Louise M. Joy is a Texas attorney with experience in health law, focusing on regulatory, licensing, and administrative matters. Louise has been Board Certified in Administrative Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1995. Before entering law, she earned her Masters in Health Administration and worked in hospital administration. She represents healthcare clients in state and federal administrative proceedings, drawing from her unique background combining hospital administration experience with legal expertise. Her experience with administrative law informs her interest in legal history, including the laws during the American Revolution.
Alan R. Hoffman “discovered” Lafayette in 2002 and spent two years – 2003 to 2005 – translating Auguste Levasseur’s Lafayette in America in 1824 and 1825, the first-hand account of Lafayette’s Farewell Tour of America written by his private secretary. This translation is in its fourth printing. Hoffman has lectured widely on Lafayette – over 260 talks – and has spoken in each of the 24 states (and Washington DC) which Lafayette visited during the Farewell Tour. His scholarly articles about Lafayette include “The Marquis de Lafayette in Savannah” (sidebar) in Slavery and Freedom in Savannah (Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press, 2014), Leslie M. Harris and Daina Ramey Berry, editors, and “Lafayette’s Anti-Slavery Lament, Revisited,” in the Gazette of the American Friends of Lafayette, No. 96, May 2022, p. 121. Hoffman has also co-produced and was the principal author of virtual travelogues covering Lafayette’s Farewell Tour visits to four states: New York, Virginia, North Carolina, and New Hampshire (with TravelStorysGPS). He has been designated a scholar in the New Hampshire Humanities Council’s “Humanities to Go” program.
Richard Sylla is a Professor Emeritus of Economics and the former Henry Kaufman Professor of the History of Financial Institutions and Markets at New York University Stern School of Business. His primary areas of research include historical studies of money, banking, and finance. He is the author of several books, including The American Capital Market and A History of Interest Rates. His writing has appeared in numerous publications, including the Journal of Economic History, Explorations in Economic History, Business History Review, and Enterprise & Society. He is also on the editorial board of many journals that include the Financial History Review, Enterprise and Society, and Economic and Financial History Abstracts. Professor Sylla has also been the recipient of several awards and grants including National Science Foundation grants, an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant and the Citibank Award for Excellence in Teaching at the Stern School. He served as President of the Economic History Association and the Business History Conference, and is the Past Chairman of the Museum of American Finance. He is a Fellow of the Cliometric Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Prior to joining Stern, Professor Sylla taught at North Carolina State and the University of Pennsylvania among others. Professor Sylla received his bachelor of arts from Harvard University before studying at the Indian Statistical Institute at Calcutta. He then received both his Master of Arts and his PhD from Harvard University.
1600’s Symposium: The Beginning of the City
Jaap Jacobs (PhD Leiden, 1999) is affiliated with the University of St Andrews. He has specialized in the early American history, specifically the Dutch in the Americas in the early modern period. He has taught at Leiden University, the University of Amsterdam, Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, and the University of St Andrews. His books include A firm peace and sincere friendship? Four Centuries of Dutch-American Stories; The Colony of New Netherland: A Dutch Settlement in Seventeenth-Century America. He is currently working on a biography of Petrus Stuyvesant.
Zachary Edinger is a graduate of Queens College (CUNY) and Fordham Law School. He has held positions at Morgan Stanley and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Since 2011, he has served as the Sexton of Congregation Shearith Israel, the oldest Jewish community in North America, where his family has worshipped since the mid-19th century.
Reverend Edinger is passionate about sharing the rich history and customs of Congregation Shearith Israel with a wider audience through engaging tours and educational classes. He regularly hosts a Zoom class titled “A Random Walk Down Mill Street,” delving into the congregation’s storied past.
Russell Shorto is the author of the bestsellers Smalltime, Revolution Song, Amsterdam, and The Island at the Center of the World. His most recent book is TAKING MANHATTAN: The Extraordinary Events That Created New York and Shaped America. He is the director of the New Amsterdam Project at the New York Historical and senior scholar at the New Netherland Institute. In 2009 he was given a knighthood by the Dutch government for advancing Dutch-American historical awareness. In 2018 he was inducted into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame.
Sandra Lazo has been a Trustee of the New Amsterdam History Center (NAHC) since 2023.
She holds an S.B. degree from M.I.T. and an M.A. degree from N.Y.U., both in Economics. Sandy worked in economic consulting, with clients primarily in regulated industries, such as electric utilities. An avid researcher into her family history, Sandy became fascinated by colonial Dutch New York after discovering that she is an eleventh-generation descendant of Cornelis Antonissen Van Slyck, who immigrated to Rensselaerswyck in 1634. A long-time member of the New Netherland Institute, Sandy has funded NNI’s Van Slyke Article Prize almost since its inception. She also supported NAHC’s presentation “The Prize Papers Collection – The Vrooman Letters” by Dr. Frans Blom at Columbia University in the spring of 2023.
Oscar Hefting is a cultural entrepreneur. He graduated in Classical Archaeology at the Amsterdam University (UvA) and specialized in Dutch Heritage Overseas. As Director of the New Holland Foundation he organizes projects, and stimulates research, education and promotion on colonial heritage and its effects on todays societies.
Peggy King Jorde fights to preserve the stories buried beneath our feet. This Harvard Loeb Fellow helped spark a movement that saved New York City’s African Burial Ground—a discovery that rocked the nation when archaeologists unearthed the remains of over 400 enslaved and free Africans in Lower Manhattan.
As Special Adviser to Mayor David Dinkins and later Director of Memorialization, King Jorde was one of the masterminds behind the creation of America’s first African Burial Ground Monument and Interpretive Center, transforming a forgotten cemetery into a powerful symbol of remembrance. She personally oversaw the design competitions for the memorial and advised on the sacred repatriation ceremony that returned ancestral remains to their final resting place.
Naturalization Ceremony at Federal Hall
Naturalization Ceremony
Chief Judge Hon. Laura Taylor Swain, Speaker
Chief Judge Laura Taylor Swain, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
Marquis de Lafayette, Author Society of the Cincinnati Member
An individual delivering a dramatic interpretation of Marquis de Lafayette’s speech in period military attire at Federal Hall on July 3, 2025
Charles "Chuck" Schwam, Speaker
Speaking at the Naturalization Ceremony at Federal Hall, July 3, 2025
Jennifer Zehner, Speaker
A Celebration of the New York Cocktail
A Celebration of the New York Cocktail
Thursday, February 20, 2025
5:00 PM 9:00 PM
A Benefit for It Happened Here
Lower Manhattan has been America’s town square since its founding as Fort Amsterdam in 1624. Key global events— and nearly every aspect of national and local significance—can be traced to this New York “stage”. To kick off the United States’ upcoming 250th birthday and celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of New York, It Happened Here in July 2025 will compress 400 years into 5 days. Special events, tours, panels and other programming will re-activate the sites where America began, supplemented with cultureNOW’s digital museum without walls app.
Our host venue is the soon-to-be-completed workplace of the future, WSA (Water Street Associates) Our event will be held in the Water Street Projects exhibition space. Join us for an unforgettable evening dedicated to the historic cocktails that define the Big Apple. Sip on familiar and unfamiliar classic drinks while mingling with fellow cocktail enthusiasts. Our expert mixologists will be on hand to share the history behind each drink. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to indulge in the flavors of New York City!
Time:
Building Tour: 5:15pm
Cocktail Reception: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Cocktails by:
Natasha David Bartender
David Moo Bartender + Voice Actor
cultureNOW is a 501(c)(3) charitable association. EIN #75-3056357. The estimated fair market value of the cocktail reception is $100 per person. The balance is deductible as a charitable contribution to the extent allowed by law.
Lower Manhattan Historical Timeline
Black History at Foley Square - It Happened Here : An Afternoon of Black History From the African Burial Ground to Thurgood Marshall Courthouse
Black History at Foley Square - It Happened Here : An Afternoon of Black History From the African Burial Ground to Thurgood Marshall Courthouse
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
3:00 PM 7:00 PM
Much of Black history in New York revolves around Foley Square. This is a two-part event. First, we will have a tour of the African Burial Ground with its architect Rodney Leon, including a look at some of the artworks commissioned for the Burial Ground which depict the experience of enslaved people. This will be followed by the second part of the program highlighting three legal pioneers — Justice Thurgood Marshall, Judge Constance Baker Motley, and Judge Robert L. Carter — who collaborated at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund before going on to preside on the federal bench at Foley Square.
The honorees and the speakers are as follows
Justice Thurgood Marshall
Speaker: Hon. Paul A. Engelmayer, United States District Judge, Southern District of New York — former law clerk to Justice Marshall
Judge Constance Baker Motley
Speaker: Hon. Laura Taylor Swain, Chief Judge, United States District Court, Southern District of New York — former law clerk to Judge Motley
Judge Robert L. Carter
Speaker: Hon. Barrington D. Parker, Jr., United States Circuit Judge, Second Circuit — judicial colleague of Judge Carter
Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse Renovation
Speaker: Lawrence Gutterman, AIA, Project architect
Please join cultureNOW, the Lower Manhattan Historical Association, the National Park Service, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, & Black Gotham for an afternoon tour and symposium.
Time
3:00 pm : Tour - African Burial Ground National Monument, 290 Broadway NY
5:00 pm : Symposium - Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse, 40 Foley Square, NY
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the city council. cultureNOW’s program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Event Program
It Happened Here : American Presidents in New York
It Happened Here : American Presidents in New York
Monday, February 17, 2025
3:00 PM 5:00 PM
Every American President passed through New York City. Some were born here such as Theodore Roosevelt. Some lived here including Herbert Hoover who spent his post Presidential years residing in the Presidential Suite at the Waldorf Astoria. Some were married here. In 1844, for instance, John Tyler wed Julia Gardiner at the Church of the Ascension on 5th Avenue & 10th Street. Some worked here. Chester Arthur practiced law in New York first before he was appointed the Collector of the Port of New York, a position which actually paid more than the presidency. Some received medical care here. Grover Cleveland was operated on for cancer of the jaw on a yacht off of Pier A. Some like Ulysses S Grant went bankrupt here. Some launched their candidacy here. Abraham Lincoln gave the famous speech at Cooper Union that launched his candidacy and sadly returned a few years later in a casket to City Hall to terminate it. The appropriate place to celebrate President’s Day is, of course, Federal Hall, our first capital whose balcony was the site of Washington’s inauguration.
Please join cultureNOW, the Lower Manhattan Historical Association, & the National Park Service for a symposium.
Event Program
It Happened Here: American Presidents in New York - Introduction & Ranger Ryan Ventura, National Park Service
Introduction:
Ramon E. Mangual, PhD
Supervisory Park Ranger
National Park Service
Welcome:
Ambrose Richardson III
President, Lower Manhattan Historical Association
Presenter:
Ranger Ryan Ventura
National Park Service
It Happened Here: American Presidents in New York - Seth Kaller
Presenter:
Seth Kaller
Seth Kaller, Inc., Historic Documents & Legacy Collections
It Happened Here: American Presidents in New York - Abby Suckle
Presenter:
Abby Suckle
President, cultureNOW; Vice President, Lower Manhattan Historical Association
Saratoga Yorktown Celebration
Saratoga Yorktown Celebration
Saturday, October 19, 2024
2:30 PM 3:30 PM
A commemoration of the American Victories of Saratoga on October 17, 1777 and Yorktown on October 19, 1781. Each October the LMHA celebrates two of the Continental Army’s most decisive Revolutionary War victories, the battles of Saratoga and Yorktown. Both General Horatio Gates, the commanding general at the Battle of Saratoga, and Alexander Hamilton, a key aide to General George Washington and the leader the climactic charge against redoubt 10 at the Battle of Yorktown, are buried at Trinity Churchyard. Additionally, the Battle of Yorktown is symbolic of the United States of America’s oldest military alliance. Powerful French land forces, commanded by the Comte de Rochambeau, and an equally important and sizable French fleet, commanded by the Comte de Grasse, played a crucial role in the defeat and capitulation of the British army.
This will be the Inaugural Frederic P. Vigneron Award Federation of French War Veterans
Event Program
Shaping the Skyline in Lower Manhattan - American Institute of Architects National Presidents in Lower Manhattan
Shaping the Skyline in Lower Manhattan - American Institute of Architects National Presidents in Lower Manhattan
Friday, October 4, 2024
3:00 PM 4:30 PM
The American Institute of Architects was founded in Lower Manhattan by 29 architects in 1857 to “promote the scientific and practical perfection of its members” and “elevate the standing of the profession.” Until this time, anyone who wished to call themselves an architect, including masons, carpenters, bricklayers, and other members of the building trade, could do so. With over 95,000 members and 200+ chapters, AIA is the largest and most influential network of architects and design professionals in the world. AIANY is the country’s largest chapter and in 2011 it launched Archtober—NYC’s annual, month-long architecture festival. We will honor the AIA National Presidents with a two-part event beginning with an afternoon walking tour of some of the most distinguished buildings designed by them that have shaped Lower Manhattan. Richard Upjohn served for nearly 20 years as the first president. He was followed by some of the best architects of the day: Richard Morris Hunt, Daniel Burnham, Cass Gilbert, George Post, and Charles McKim. The evening will end with our signature Friday evening Cocktails & Conversations with the current AIA National President.
Tour Leaders:
Abby Suckle FAIA, President cultureNOW; Principal, Abby Suckle Architect
William M. Singer AIA, Code and Zoning specialist Technical Affairs, New York City Department of Buildings
Event Program
A Celebration of Constitution Day
A Celebration of Constitution Day
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
5:00 PM 7:00 PM
September 17, 1787 marks the signing of the US Constitution. George Washington wrote a cover letter explaining to the states why they should ratify it. The first printing was in the Pennsylvania Packet and Daily Advertiser 2 days later. Notably, on display there will be a rare copy of the Constitution, and the United States District Court for the District of New York was the first court to convene after the passage of the Judiciary Act of 1789.
Please join cultureNOW, the United States District Court for the District of New York, & the Lower Manhattan Historical Association for an afternoon symposium about our Constitution and its ratification.
Speakers:
Professor Kevin Arlyck, Georgetown Law
Honorable Judge P. Kevin Castel, United States Southern District Court
Seth Kaller, Historical Documents & Legacy Collections
James von Klemperer, FAIA, President Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
CLE and CEU credits
Event Program
9th Annual Independence Day Celebration
9th Annual Independence Day Celebration
ThursdaThursday, July 4, 2024
10:00 AM 4:00 PM
The celebration of Independence Day has been a long standing tradition in Lower Manhattan from the very first days of the Revolution, and especially following the British military's evacuation in 1783. As the celebration of this most important of American patriotic holidays gravitated uptown to other neighborhoods this and other Lower Manhattan historical traditions gradually faded into relative obscurity and finally ceased to be active by the mid-1970s. Understanding only too well how Lower Manhattan holds a place second to none among the cities and States leading the revolutionary cause for independence and appreciating the wealth of historical monuments and American patriot gravesites concentrated in what is often called the "tip of Manhattan" several of the oldest and most respected historical and military organizations with deep ties to the neighborhood formed the Lower Manhattan Historical Association in 2014 for the purpose of reviving the patriotic traditions so closely associated with our beloved city, offer the multiplicity of our communities as well as our many visitors the opportunity to participate and enhance the sentiments of coexisting plurality and unity that define the ideals of great nation.
For its Ninth Parade, festivities will begin with a 10:00 Flag Raising Ceremony led by the Veteran Corps of Artillery of the State of New York, followed by the parade which will end at South Street Seaport Pier 16. In the afternoon, Fraunces Tavern Museum will have an open house from 2:00-5:00pm. There is also an It Happened Here program at 2:00pm highlighting the newly installed Lafayette exhibit. Original copies of the Declaration of Independence including newspapers printed on July 18th will be on display at the museum.
Museum at Eldridge Street
Museum at Eldridge Street
Sunday, June 23, 2024
1:00 PM 3:30 PM
The Eldridge Street Synagogue was the First synagogue in America purpose-built by immigrants from Eastern Europe. By 1887 when it was constructed, the Lower East Side was in the process of becoming the most densely populated neighborhood on in the world. The building was dedicated a National Historic Landmark in 1987 which inaugurated a decades long preservation project. It was reopened in 2007 Please join cultureNOW, the Lower Manhattan Historical Association, the Federal Hall Conservancy & The Museum at Eldridge Street for an afternoon symposium highlighting the cultural richness of this amazing synagogue.
Event Program
St Paul’s Chapel : Places Over Time
St Paul’s Chapel : Places Over Time
Thursday, March 7, 2024
2:30 PM 4:30 PM
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Event Program
Lunch & Learn: The Birth of New York City's Municipal Government
Lunch & Learn: The Birth of New York City's Municipal Government
Friday, February 2, 2024
1:00 PM 2:00 PM
An online program of presentations on Dutch colonial records to launch the 400th Anniversary of the arrival of the Dutch in New York.
On February 2, 1653 the States General in the Hague and the Dutch West India Company in Amsterdam issued a charter officially establishing a government structure like those existing in the Netherlands.
Register for the program here
Event Program
8th Annual Independence Day Celebration
8th Annual Independence Day Celebration
Tuesday, July 4, 2023
10:30 AM 12:00 PM
The celebration of Independence Day has been a long standing tradition in Lower Manhattan from the very first days of the Revolution, and especially following the British military's evacuation in 1783. As the celebration of this most important of American patriotic holidays gravitated uptown to other neighborhoods this and other Lower Manhattan historical traditions gradually faded into relative obscurity and finally ceased to be active by the mid-1970s. Understanding only too well how Lower Manhattan holds a place second to none among the cities and States leading the revolutionary cause for independence and appreciating the wealth of historical monuments and American patriot gravesites concentrated in what is often called the "tip of Manhattan" several of the oldest and most respected historical and military organizations with deep ties to the neighborhood formed the Lower Manhattan Historical Association in 2014 for the purpose of reviving the patriotic traditions so closely associated with our beloved city, offer the multiplicity of our communities as well as our many visitors the opportunity to participate and enhance the sentiments of coexisting plurality and unity that define the ideals of great nation.
For its Eighth Parade, festivities will begin with a 10:00 Flag Raising Ceremony led by the Veteran Corps of Artillery of the State of New York and their Annual Salute to the Nation, marchers will assemble at 10:45am for the parade which will end at South Street Seaport Pier 16. In the afternoon, Fraunces Tavern Museum will have an open house from 2:00-5:00pm. There is also the first It Happened Here program at 2:00pm.
Event Program
